Paul Johnston 'inspired by cancer diagnosis'

Scottish thriller writer
Paul Johnston has revealed how he took inspiration from his
encounters with cancer.

In an interview with the Edinburgh Evening News, the
53-year-old said that being diagnosed with cancer for the second
time led to the creation of Matt Wells, the title character in his
current crime series.

'Having spent a lot of time thinking about life, death and
anything else that you care to mention when I was ill, I needed a
protagonist who reflected my state of mind,' Johnston
explained.

The author also told the newspaper that he decided to set
Maps of
Hell - the third instalment of his current series - in the
US, as he had 'gone as far as [he] wanted' with London after using
it as the location for his earlier works, The
Death List and The Soul
Collector.